Pantone, the hoity toity decision council for everything we're allowed to see, has announced the color of the year for 2013: green. Or well fine, emerald. It's unclear what scientific process Pantone goes through to determine what the COTY is (other than complete arbitrariness) but hey, emerald's a nice color.

Last year's color of the year was Tangerine Tango and though Emerald 17-5641 doesn't quite have the alliterative beauty of that color, it does look like a quality green. Or as quality as green can get? Whatever. Who wouldn't want to wear an official color of the year endorsed flannel or lamp or towel or detergent or whatever? Don't answer that question. Anyway, Pantone says:

Pantone, official arbiter of the visible spectrum, has declared its selection for next year's…
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"Green is the most abundant hue in nature – the human eye sees more green than any other color in the spectrum," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. "As it has throughout history, multifaceted Emerald continues to sparkle and fascinate. Symbolically, Emerald brings a sense of clarity, renewal and rejuvenation, which is so important in today's complex world. This powerful and universally appealing tone translates easily to both fashion and home interiors."

Barf. I just yakked up the color of the year. Pretty cool, right? Get ready to see a bunch of emerald née green products that cost a little too much money in your future. [Pantone]